Navy chopper lands in Chula Vista park

Chula Vista  A Navy helicopter made an emergency landing in an empty Chula Vista park Thursday afternoon, with no injuries, authorities said.

The crew of a MH-60R Seahawk, assigned to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 41 at North Island Naval Air Station set down safely in Terra Nova Park about 1:15 p.m., Navy and police officials said.

A Chula Vista police officer noticed the low-flying craft, then saw it in the park a few minutes later, police Lt. Eric Thunberg said. He said Clear View Elementary School is near the park.

Thunberg said a light came on in the cockpit, prompting the crew to land for maintenance.

Navy officials said the crew, on a routine flight, decided to land at the earliest safe opportunity, and the helicopter was not damaged. Maintenance workers were to determine whether it can be flown safely to a Navy airfield.